By Angel Nuñez
The San Pedro Club is not only the first service organization to come to San Pedro, but has also been the most successful and long-lasting organization. The club was founded in the year 1975 and was chartered with its board of directors duly installed on October 25, 1975.
It was the Belize City Lions Club that first showed interest in organizing a club in San Pedro. After a few organizational meetings to indoctrinate the prospect members and its board, the club was duly installed with the signing of the charter, and a formal dance and dinner held at Marino’s Club. The first President of this club was Lion Pete Salazar, who at the time was the CEO of Caribeña Fishing Cooperative. The secretary was Lion John Lizama who was the accountant also at the fishing cooperative. The membership was of 36 and attendance at meetings in the early years was almost always 100%.
The success of the San Pedro Lions Club was immediate due to the high confidence they built within the community and their physical presence out and about. Lions were sought for varied needs in the community and they gave unselfishly even abroad. No project was too small nor too large for them and they tackled renovating parks, erecting fences, cleaning beaches, building homes, and helping the sick and financially disabled.
Here are some of the bigger projects undertaken by Lions. They constructed the Lions Clinic and hired a full time doctor and full time nurse. Secondly they built a home for our resident nurse.
They purchased two properties with the vision of a hospital in the future. They assisted San Pedro High School with $80,000.00 for the completion of its ground floor with four classrooms. They constructed the Lions Den complex. They participated in part with the construction of the Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Poly Clinic with the vision of having a full fledged hospital.
Construction of the Lions Clinic
Lions Clinic
San Pedro Lions Den Complex
In all fairness it would be nice to list the names of the founding members of the Lions Club in 1975 but due to the fear of missing out one single name, this columnist is asking the present secretary to kindly list the names in the comment box below. (appreciated) Let me say kudos to the most obvious names that come to mind, the men that built up the image of Lions in San Pedro and Belize since 1975.
Wilfredo Alamilla, Miguel Alamilla, Adolfo Ayuso Sr., Liborio Azueta Sr., Bernabe Badillo, Edwardo Brown, Norman Eiley, Allan Forman, Abel Guerrero, Ovidio Guerrero, Gilberto ‘Chico’ Gomez, Jose Gonzalez, Secun Gonzalez, Gil Gonzalez, George Kumul, John Lizama, Betito Marin, Aldo Marin, Arturo Mora, Reynaldo Muñoz, Gonzalo Muñoz, Luis Nuñez, Angel Nuñez, Felipe Paz Sr., Eiden Salazar Sr., Pedro Salazar, Reynaldo Squires, Fernando Trejo Sr., Santiago Vasquez, Francisco Verde.
There are other men and women in San Pedro who have served as members and then quit or passed away but whose contributions are also acknowledged. (Readers kindly add names in our comment box below)
‘Years Ago in San Pedro’ extends a hearty congratulations to The San Pedro Lions Club and let the Lions Roarrrrr continue forever.
25 Years Ago Books Can Be Purchased At:
-Ambergris Today -Lala’s Store -Chico’s Meat Shop -Pampered Paws -Ambergris Jade -San Pedro BTB Office -Aquarius Salon (Kim) -S.P. Town Library -Di Bush –Richie’s Stationery -San Pedrano’s Stationery -Rum, Coffee & Cigar House
Contact the Author at: nunez_nest@yahoo.com
